Kauai, U.S. Coast Guard Prepare for Superferry's Return

October 4, 2007

The Hawaii Superferry's fate in Hawaii is uncertain. All eyes are on the legal courts on the island of Maui, who are still in the midst of deciding the legality of the Hawaii Superferry's inter-island services. The Hawaii State Legislature, meanwhile, is preparing to call a special session to vote on the same topic should the local court ban the Hawaii Superferry. And environmentalists throughout the island state are pushing for the public to voice their disapproval of the ferry.
Meanwhile, the island of Kauai is preparing for the Hawaii Superferry's return after being forced away last month by environmental activists in kayaks and on surfboards blocking the Hawaii Superferry's port at Nawiliwili Harbor.
Linda Lingle, Hawaii's first woman governor and the first Republican governor in Hawaii in several decades, has promised to protect the Hawaii Superferry to prevent a repeat of last month's debacle when crowds of Kauai residents physically blocked the ferry from sailing to Kauai.
The 350-foot vessel that the Hawaii Superferry has named the "Alakai" was blocked on August 26th. Since then, the Hawaii Superferry has halted its sailing schedule to Kauai. In recent weeks, the Hawaii Superferry has threatened that it will be forced into bankruptcy and move to more favorable sailing markets if they are not allowed to service the Hawaiian islands. Governor Lingle then promised it enforced security protection so that it could resume travel to Kauai.
Breaking the security barrier to the Hawaii Superferry will result in a $2,000 fine and a maximum of one year in jail. [Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com]

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